. Deficiencies of trace elements like zinc, copper
and magnesium have been implicated in various
reproductive events like infertility, pregnancy wastage,
congenital anomalies, pregnancy-induced hypertension,
Soetan et al. 205
placental abruption, premature rupture of membranes,
still births and low birth weight (Pathak and Kapil, 2004).
An excess of dietary fat or poor digestion of fat may
reduce calcium absorption through the formation of
insoluble calcium soaps; however, small amounts of fat
may improve calcium absorption.